Fatal Frame 4: The Unknown Ritual
by DarkNightmares13
Summary: We all know about Project Zero, Crimson Butterfly, and The Tormented. Now there's another one The Unknown Ritual. It's all new and improved.Slowly the dummy made it’s way towards Maru. It reached its arms out for her... Chapter 5.
1. Another Sleepless Night

**Fatal Frame 4: The Unknown Ritual**

**Chapter One: Another Sleepless Night**

Maru awoke with sweat streaming down her face. She just had one of her usual nightmares, and this one was the worst. Her dream consisted of a mansion that was filled with dead. She researched the mansion once before and found that it was in pieces now, and she also found out what happened there. To make sure that her dream was just a dream she went to her desk and looked through the papers. There were news clippings, reports, and much more about the Suzuki Mansion. She started to read about the mansion, she had read these papers so many times before, but it made her feel better about her dreams.

One news clipping had to do with disappearing people, they had been hiking on a trail and they never came home. Another reported that the mansion was torn down in order to build something new, but during construction too many men died by mysterious accidents. All that was finished was knocking the mansion into pieces, and that's how it's been for five years. Maru had been having the dreams since she was a little girl, and her parents were always afraid that she would lose her mind. Maru proved her parents wrong and grew up to be a beautiful young woman, but she still had nightmares.

The one news clipping that made her feel uneasy all of the time was the one about what went on when the Suzuki family lived there. Maru found out about how the family did rituals to please their God, and she learned that they believed to have the gate to hell. Maru had heard this all before, she read about another mansion where people died, and that a ghost named Kirie hunted the place. Maru's friend is the one that convinced her of ghosts, her friend told Maru about a lost village, and how she lost her twin sister. Maru asked her friend how she lost her sister, and she replied that she killed her and her body was thrown into the hellish abyss. One thing that Maru remembered was the look in her friend's eyes when she told Maru that her sister was now lost in the village, and that she has to roam the village as a crimson butterfly.

Then Maru remembered her grandma telling her about her friend, and how she lost her boyfriend in a car accident. Her grandma told how her friend also had nightmares about a certain place, and how her dreams showed had shown her a new beginning. Maru wondered if her dreams were trying to tell her something, Maru decided to go talk to her grandma, her grandma would know just what to do.


	2. Finding Out The Truth

**Chapter Two: Finding Out The Truth**

When Maru arrived at her grandma's house she sensed that something wasn't right, her feeling grew when she saw that the front door was open a crack. Maru ran inside calling for her grandma, but her grandma never answered and Maru went through the house looking for someone a few times already. Maru decided to sit in her grandma's favorite chair, and calmly try to find out where her grandma was.

After a short time sitting Maru saw something in the corner of her eye, it was a letter with Maru's name on it. The writing was written in her grandma's handwriting, and it smelled like her grandma's perfume. The letter stated this, "Dear Maru, If you are reading this then you must have noticed that I'm gone. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I had to leave in a hurry. I need to end this once and for all. Your dreams made me realize that I can't keep running away from my problems, as soon as I return I will explain everything to you. I have gone to the Suzuki Mansion, please do not worry for I will be safe. I love you with all of my heart. Love Yours Truly, Grandma".

Maru didn't know how to react to a message like this. Her grandma had gone to the mansion in her nightmares and might not ever return. Maru realized that she also had to face her fears, she was going to go to the mansion and find her grandma. Before Maru left she decided to see if her grandma had any old records, something to tell Maru why her grandma would leave. Maru headed upstairs to her grandma's room, Maru didn't have to search for very long because her grandma got everything out and it was laying on her bed.

There was another note, "Dear Maru, If you're reading this note then that means that you're trying to find answers. I knew you would so I made it easy by retrieving all of my records about the Suzuki Mansion, and everything else that you need to know. I know that you'll probably come after me, and that's fine. I just hope that you make it in time to see the answers that you're looking for. I love you with all of my heart. Love Yours Truly, Grandma".

Maru read through all of the records they all had most of the same headlines. Missing kids, an unknown ritual, family killed, but one was very interesting. That headline read, "Maru Tanaka Doesn't Believe In Ghost!" Maru wondered a minute and then realized that her name is the same as her grandma's name. Her parents never told her that they named her after her grandma. Maru decided to read the article, it told of how Maru Tanaka lived in the Suzuki Mansion with her husband to prove that it wasn't hunted.

Maru decided to go to the mansion when another article fell from the bed and on to the floor. This one read about how Maru Tanaka came back to town after living in the Suzuki Mansion for five years. It said that she had snow white hair, that her husband was no where to be found, and that she was going to have a baby. Maru looked up from the article and thought to herself, "my grandpa was dead before I was born, and my mom is an only child. That means that my grandpa died in the mansion, but my grandma and my mom made it out alive."

Maru decided not to waste any more time, and headed for the mansion. She went to her parents house and left a message for them on the front door. She knew that they weren't going to be home, and she knew that her mom wouldn't allow her to go. Maru told her mom what was going on and how she needed to go. After leaving the note, Maru got in her car and headed for the Suzuki Mansion.

To Be Continued.


	3. Facing Your Fears

**Chapter Three: Facing Your Fears**

WhenMaru arrived at the mansion the date was June 3rd, 2006. Maru wanted to write down everything just in case she never returned. Maru wasn't surprised to see the mansion still together, even though it was knocked down. Her main goal was to find answers and her grandma.

Maru stood in front of the big wooden doors that made an entrance, she kept thinking about everything she just learned. Maru's hand placed itself on to the doorknob, or it seemed to do it by itself to Maru. She turned the knob and opened the door. Maru went inside without a moment of hesitation, because she knew she didn't have much time to find her grandma.

In front of her was a small table with a candle, a note, and a camera. Maru picked up the note and candle and she then read the note, "Dear Maru, You've made it far already, but your journey is still a long one. I'm fine so far, but there are many dead here. Use the Camera Obscura; it should help you fight of the ghosts. Watch out for one specific ghost, her name is Namie, and she wants people to feel her pain. Namie is wearing a black dress with red markings and she has thorns attached to her skin. I love you with all of my heart. Love Yours Truly, Grandma."

Maru grabbed the camera, and she headed for the door on the right.


	4. Another Note, Another Clue

**Chapter Four: Another Note, Another Clue**

Maru opened the door slowly, she was shaking and so she couldn't get a very good grip on it. When she finally opened the door she stood frozen, and her eyes showed fear. In front of her was the ghost her grandma warned her about, Namie.

She knew it was Namie by the description her grandma gave. Maru screamed and raised the Camera Obscura and she looked into the viewfinder. Maru zoomed out to show more of Namie, and then she took the photo, Namie disappeared.

Namie left something for Maru; it was a page from a dairy. The pages were white, faded a bit, and it had purple writing in it. The page read this, "June 3rd today is my birthday and I got this as a present from my parents. I love this diary so much, it's so pretty. Well I have to go because it's now time for cake and ice crème."

Maru put the page in her bag that she was carrying. In this bag she kept her own journal. She grabbed the journal and wrote about the ghost she saw, what happened, and then she put the page in it.

The room she was now in was cold and damped. There were books everywhere, she decided to look at the titles, to see if any sounded like they would help. Maru looked everywhere and was about to give up when she spotted the book The Family's Unknown Ritual.

Maru knew she didn't have enough time to stop and read, so she put the book in her bag and headed for the only other door in the room.


	5. Other Ghosts In The Mansion

Chapter Five: Other Ghosts In The Mansion This time Maru was ready to open the door, she was scared, but she knew that the camera in her hand was special. This time when Maru opened the door there were no ghosts, no books, but there was a piece of paper. It was another diary page, and Maru had to stop and read it. This page read, "June 5th my mommy went missing today. The last thing she told me was goodnight, I miss her so much. My daddy doesn't seem that upset about it. I have to know what happened. It's time I became Namie The Spy." Maru put the scrap in her journal and headed on. Her watch read seven o'clock, and that's when she realized her watch didn't work anymore. She remembered that it was seven o'clock when she entered. Maru couldn't stand there all night wondering what's stopping her watch; she had to find her grandma. There were two doors this time, and one of them was locked. So she knew that she had to go through the other, but before she did she checked to make sure there was nothing in this room. Maru searched and found nothing. So she entered the unlocked door, and found…Maru screamed at the top of her lungs. When she finally calmed down she realized that it was just a dummy standing there and not a ghost. This room was small and had one drawer and the dummy. Maru checked the drawer for anything and found two things: a map and a key. 

The key had a real pretty symbol on it; it showed a rose with thorns on it. Maru remember the door in the other room had this symbol. She knew this would open the door.

Maru looked at the map and found a dark stain on one of the rooms. The room was not named; she looked and found that every other room was named, but not this one.

Just as Maru put the key and the map in her bag she heard a clock chime. The chiming was faint, but after every chime it grew louder. Maru tried to open the door that she just came from, but it wouldn't open. She panicked and screamed. When the clock chimed for the twelfth time, the harmless looking dummy started to move. Maru yanked and yanked on the doorknob, but it wouldn't budge. She decide to curl up in a little ball, she didn't know what else to do.

Slowly the dummy made it's way towards Maru. It reached its arms out for her, and when it got close enough it wrapped its arms around her neck. Maru tried to scream, but visions started to appear in her head.

The visions showed a little and her mommy playing, while the dad stared angrily. Then a teen girl with a sad face, and no one is playing with her, and finally she saw a vision of Namie. She looked the way Maru had first seen her, the thorns grew tighter around her skin. Namie cried out for Maru, and that's when Maru awoke in a different room.


	6. Calling Out For Grandma

**Chapter Six: Calling Out For Grandma**

The room Maru was in now was very well lit, and it had a long table and six chairs in it. Maru decided that this was the dining room, the room where everyone ate. She looked around to see another note from her grandma and another page from the diary. She read the note first, "Dear Maru, Please be careful. Namie seems to be getting madder, and you can tell by how her thorns tighten. She needs your help, but one touch from her and you will die. This isn't a game; you can't start over, so please be careful. I will write to you later. Love your grandma."

"Grandma," Maru said in a sad whisper. She knew no one could hear her, at least no one alive could hear her. Maru went and picked up the diary page, half was torn off, but she read what she could.

This page read, "June 8th my daddy was laughing about something. I heard him talking to grandpa and grandma. I love them both. When I was spying I heard them say that I was getting old enough to do something. They called it…" the rest was missing on the other half.

Maru put both pieces of paper in her bag and wrote in her journal. She wrote how she thinks that it's the next day. She also wrote about her experience last night, and how she ended up here. Then she put her journal away, looked around for anything else, and left for the kitchen door.


	7. Discovering The Past

**Chapter Seven: Discovering The Past**

The kitchen smelled of moldy food, and it took all of Maru's strength to stop her from throwing up. In the kitchen there was another book, a locket, and half of a page from the diary, Maru hoped it was the other half that she was missing. First she looked at the book, the title was Keeping the Opening of Hell Happy, and Takao Suzuki and Hayaki Tanaka wrote it. Takao, Maru thought to herself, must have been part of Namie's family, but Maru didn't know how. Then Maru remembered the name Hayaki Tanaka, Tanaka was her grandma's last name. Her grandma had kept her maiden name, and the kids took the fathers last name.

Was the name on this book somehow related to her family? Many questions ran through her mind, but she had to go on because there was not a lot of time left. Next, Maru picked up the half diary page and read it. It read, "the Unknown Ritual. They described what was done for this ritual and I scared me. I got so scared that I screamed, and my grandparents, who I loved, and my dad came out of the room and saw me. They told me we were going to play a game, and then they blindfolded me. At least they let me keep my diary."

Maru read this and a tear fell down her cheek, how could they do this to her? Maru kept asking herself because she knew what they were planning on doing. It was not a game it was a ritual. Maru picked up the locket next, and inside were two pictures; one of an older woman and the other was of a young girl. Maru believed it had to Namie and her mother.

Maru put everything in her bag; she didn't even stop to write in her own journal because she wanted to continue so badly. Maru couldn't think of another time that she actually cared about something so much. Maru then headed for the next door, which was the storage room. This room was used for keeping all of the food that wasn't frozen.


	8. Another Night Passed

**Chapter Eight: Another Night Passed**

Maru opened the door to the pantry, as some called it, and she screamed. There smiling at her was another dummy, and she knew she didn't have a lot of time left. Maru heard the door lock behind her, and she adjusted to the dim light of the room. She looked around and found a newspaper article. The headline read, "Suzuki and Tanaka Family Is Nuts," Maru read on, "The so called quiet town was in an uproar when townsfolk found out about the Unknown Ritual that has been going on in the Suzuki Mansion. One man told reporters that he's heard crying sometimes coming from there, and another man said that he couldn't believe what they were doing up there in that mansion."

Maru dropped the paper in shock; the chiming of the clock scared her. She reached for the paper and put it in her bag, and just like before the dummy started to move again. "Please help me grandma," Maru cried out, "Find me so we can leave".

The chiming was ending when the dummy reached for Maru; she didn't even try to fight. Maru knew that this was supposed to happen. The dummy grabbed Maru, the chiming stopped, and the visions appeared. This time it showed what looked like Namie's dad, and how he blindfolded the young Namie.

Then visions of Maru's own family came, it showed her grandma and grandpa holding a young girl, the young girl looked like Namie. The young Namie turned her head towards Maru, and Maru screamed. Namie's eyes were pure black, blood streamed down the eye sockets, and little holes appeared on Namie's arms and legs. Maru screamed and screamed, and then she woke up.


	9. Finding Grandma

**Chapter Nine: Finding Grandma**

Maru smiled when her eyes adjusted to the brightness. Sitting in front of her was her grandma, but Maru was cautious. In this house anything is possible, and Maru for a second thought this could be a ghost playing tricks on her. When she reached her grandma she took her hand and put it on her grandma's cheeks, and she smiled bigger. "This has to be my grandma," Maru thought to herself, "I hope she'll wake up soon".

As though her grandma heard her, her eyes opened wide, and a big smile grew on her face. "Oh thank heavens you're ok, I was worried sick. Are you ok?" Maru's grandma asked her.

Maru told her grandma that she was fine, but she was tired. Her grandma told Maru that they needed to leave, but they couldn't just yet. Maru understood what her grandma meant, but she felt as though her grandma was hiding something from her.

They left the bright room, and into an even brighter one. This room on Maru's map was called the ballroom. As Maru and her grandma started to walk, music started to play. It was classical music, and it was peaceful.

Maru turned around and saw a people dancing around her. Maru's grandma tried to grab Maru away, but it was as if Maru wasn't there anymore. The people of the party stopped their dancing, and looked at Maru. They all together cheered and clapped for Maru. Maru wasn't surprise, she felt surprised, but somehow this felt right.


	10. Joining The Party

**Chapter Ten: Joining The Party**

Maru kept staring at the people, who were still cheering, and Maru's grandma kept looking around trying to find a way out. Maru's grandma found a door and grabbed Maru by the arm, and she left the ballroom.

Maru didn't leave though, physically she did, but mentally she was there. Maru was now wearing a sky blue sparkling dress, her hair up in a nice bun with one strand of hair on both sides curled, and the shiniest dress shoes. Maru felt pretty, and she was.

The body of Maru stood still while her grandma dragged her from room to room. Her grandma did stop in each room to find clues; she knew Maru would want to see them. So far her grandma found five pages of diary, and photo album.

Maru at the party was now dancing with the cutest boy there. The music stopped and the singer of the band made an announcement, "Ladies and gentlemen please give a round of applause for the man of the hour…Takao Suzuki".

Then Mr. Suzuki came out to the center of the room, and he grabbed Maru and pulled her along. Maru didn't fight it, she felt ok about all of this, and then Mr. Suzuki made his statement, "Please, please, tonight is not my night, it is my daughters night. Tonight my daughter is going to be ready for tomorrow's ritual. Everyone please give a round of applause for my daughter, Namie".

He then grabbed Maru and hugged her tight. He whispered something in her ear, but she couldn't hear him well. Maru just smiled and smiled, she liked the attention, and she knew she was about to get even more of it.

Back at Maru's body, her grandma had set her down while she took a breath. "Please wake up, I don't know how further I can go without you," Maru's grandma started to cry a little.

At the party people were gathering around Maru, hugging her, kissing her cheeks, and saying how lovely she looked. Maru just smiled, then a pop was heard, a popper caused it. That's when Maru snapped back into her body.

"Oh grandma, I was there, I was there at the celebration party," Maru continued, "They were all happy, and I felt like I belonged. Namie's dad said that tomorrow is the day the ritual is going to happen."

Her grandma smiled to see Maru awake, "Maru, here is what I found in the other rooms. Read them and learn about the past".


	11. Being Related

**Chapter Eleven: Being Related**

Maru picked up the diary pages first, the first one read, "I don't know what day it is because I've been here for so long. I'm 17 years old now; when I first came here I was ten. I've been here for seven years, my so-called family comes in and out, and they say they're prepping me for the ritual. I'm tried I'll write later."

Then the next note, "Today someone new came into my cell, oh sorry room, I've never seen him before. He had a cute smile, great brown eyes, and he was nice to me. I don't know his name, but he was cute. I hope he comes back; he came today to write something for something. I'll find out more tomorrow."

Maru shook her head; she knew that the girl chosen for the ritual could not fall in love, that's why they put them away at a young age. Maru continued to read, "I asked my friend that comes here everyday about the cute boy, and she said his name is Ritsuki. He came here to write a story about the ritual, no one knows anything about it, but he was sent away when they found out he came and visit with me. I wonder who let him in, everyone is suppose to let no one in. I hope he's ok."

Maru's grandma told Maru she needed to read the last two pages of the diary. Maru took a breath and continued, "Today my friend was murdered, or she ran away according to my so-called family. She's the one that let the young Ritsuki here, now she's died. She knew I never grew up knowing love, and because she wanted to help me she died. I need to get out of here."

"No," Maru whispered.

Maru kept going because she only had one page left. This one was written with scribbles for writing, Namie must have been in a hurry, "Today is the day of the ritual, and no one can help me because no one knows about this. I have to write fast, I don't know when they'll be here, I hope not soon. My name is Namie, I'm 17, I fell in love, and my friend and the boy I like are dead. I shall bring revenge on those that helped my family and my family. I will come back, I have to…for Ritsuki."

"How could they do this?" Maru screamed.

"You should look at this photo album now, I'm not sure how longer we have until the night ends," Maru's grandma said.

Maru grabbed the photo album and started to look through it. There were pictures of every Suzuki and Tanaka. Family photos, none of the adults smiled, every few pictures you could see a child smiling big for the picture. Then there was Namie's picture; she was standing in front of her mom and her dad. This time her mom was smiling too, the dad looked angry. Maru turned the page, more family pictures, then the family friends, and…


	12. No More Truth

**Chapter Twelve: No More Truth**

Maru screamed because she couldn't believe the next pictures in the album. In family friends there were the Yamanaskis. That was her last name, the man in the picture looked just like her dad, and the young girl looked like Maru.

"Grandma?" Maru called out, but Maru's grandma was gone.

Maru looked at the title and it read, "Sitting from left to right…Mr. Yamanaski, Mrs. Yamanaski, Maru Yamanaski, Namie Yamanaski, and their grandparents Mr. Tanaka and Mrs. Tanaka."

"That's our family, but Namie…she's my sister," Maru said to herself.

Maru kept thinking in her head this can't be real, but it was. The family she was looking at, which was taken years before she was born, was of her and her family. "Then who were that little girl and her mom?" Maru asked herself.

Maru went back to that page and it read, "Maru Yamanaski and her daughter Mika," Maru couldn't breathe anymore.

Then the chiming happened again, and Maru saw the dummy now. It had been there all this time, but this time Maru wanted to be done with the night. Instead of waiting for the dummy to come to her, she ran and grabbed the dummy herself.

The visions were clearer now; she could see all of the faces. There was her mom, dad, Namie, and herself. Namie was the chosen one, her friend was Maru, and the boy that Namie liked never died. Ritsuki was…


	13. Ritsuki Is Alive

**Chapter Thirteen: Ritsuki Is Alive**

"I was the one who wrote you the notes. I planned everything; you don't exist, at least not anymore. Namie was daughter, not your sister. She died because of your family's ritual; you did let me in though, to see her before she died. I thank you for that," Ritsuki said coming into the room.

"What do you mean I don't exist?" Maru asked.

Ritsuki smiled, "This is where your story ends. You escaped the darkness, but you were already dead. I brought you back here, so you could stop Namie from killing. I needed your help."

Maru looked around her, "Wait what about the party, it felt like me when I was younger."

Ritsuki replied, "That was you, your dad killed your mom, you were the one blindfolded, it was you. You were supposed to be the chosen one, but then you fell in love. Your mom helped with that, that's why they killed her, and then you had a child. Namie was to be the new chosen one for the ritual, your dad marked her for death the moment he found out you were pregnant."

Maru just kept shaking her head; she couldn't believe what Ritsuki was telling her, "They killed me when I let you see Namie, and Namie…"

"Namie was mad, she was so angry that the ritual didn't work. They wrapped the thorns around her body, gouged her eyes, and gave her lifeless body to the gates of hell. Because Namie was mad before she died, the ritual didn't work; the girl has to be pure with no emotion. She fell in love and she was furious," Ritsuki continued.

Maru now understood, everyone died the night of the ritual. Maru had died before the ritual, and it's her fault that the ritual failed. Maru had one question left for Ritsuki, "How did I live with my other family, in the village?"

"Because, your soul took over this girl's body. Namie has been waiting for her mother to come back, and help her. Now you can, I brought you here, and here you must stay when this is all over," Ritsuki answered.

"What about my grandma, I saw her, she was here," Maru said.

Ritsuki shook his head, "No, she was not. That was my doing as well, I wrote the notes your grandma left, but you saw her spirit. Now please, help Namie."

Maru agreed and left to find Namie, but before she did Ritsuki grabbed her arm. He said, "Give me your bag, I can use the camera obscura, the notes you found, and everything else. That way this ritual won't be unknown, people need to know that this went on in our village."

Maru gave Ritsuki her bag, and left for the door. She looked back once more, and saw Ritsuki wave goodbye. She knew that as soon as she found her daughter her life would be done.


	14. The Final Battle

**Chapter Fourteen: The Final Battle**

Maru walked for what seemed like forever, there were no more rooms to go into. Everything else was locked, and she didn't have any keys. "What am I suppose to do now?" Maru asked herself.

That's when it hit her, her very first night her she had found a key. The key was in her back pocket, and she grabbed it. The beautiful design was still there, now all she had to do was find the door it went to again. That's when Maru remembered the door was close to the front of the house.

Maru spent what seemed like hours trying to get to the front, and she finally made it. Then she went to the door on the right, and there was the room she first saw poor Namie in. Maru saw the two doors, the one that she went in and first encountered the dummy, and the door with the beautiful design on it.

Maru lifted the key and put it in the hole, she turned it slowly, and the door unlocked. "This is the end for me, but I have to stop Namie first," Maru said to herself.

Maru opened the door slowly, the creaking of the door echoed throughout the whole house. Inside was a small cell, the same cell Maru would have been in, but poor Namie was in instead.

Inside the cell was a picture of Namie and Maru together, that's when Maru remembered the locket she put around her neck. Maru heard the moaning coming from the right corner of the cell, Maru turned and saw…Namie sitting there. "You left me, and you never came back," Namie said.

"No, I didn't know. I couldn't remember. I'm so sorry sweetie, but please you must rest now. I'm here and I'm not…" Maru said being interrupted.

"I can never rest, they killed me, and it's your fault," Namie screamed at Maru.

Maru ran towards Namie and grabbed her, "You have to go with me. We must rest and leave this world. Please."

Namie fought for only a second and the she thought to herself, "I have my mommy back. This is what I've been waiting for."

Namie stopped fighting and put her arms around Maru, and they hugged. Maru smiled and opened her locket, Namie smiled. Then Namie changed back into Maru's little girl, and Maru's spirit let go of the girl she had taken over, "Let's go home."

Maru and Namie's spirits floated to what they called home, and the girl that Maru took over started to wake up. Her name was Murika, and she got up on her feet. Ritsuki came in and helped Murika out of the mansion. When they looked back, nothing was there but the rubble of what use to be the Suzuki mansion.

The End.


End file.
